


Love in a World of Death

by ptw30



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gladiators, AoKuro - Freeform, AoKuro Week, AoKuro Week 2k16, Kings and Emperors, M/M, Slaves, mentions of Akashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 13:36:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6857179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ptw30/pseuds/ptw30
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the once great Touou Kingdom was invaded, former royal guard Aomine Daiki was impressed into the gladiator games in Kirisaki Daichi Republic, but what he didn’t know is that the Emperor of Teikou allowed Touou to be sacrificed in order to save the life of one helpless slave — Daiki’s lover — who is more important to the Teikou Empire than Daiki knows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love in a World of Death

**Author's Note:**

> Cuz I really wanted to write a Gladiator!Daiki and Slave!Tetsu story, but this turned out soooo much different than I originally thought.

Crimson rushed down Daiki’s dominant arm, but he thrust his dirtied and bloodied sword into the air, signaling the crowd’s triumphant uproar. The body of his competitor, all maimed and battered from their battle, lay motionless upon the dirt of the arena’s floor, blood leaking from the final blow in his chest cavern. 

The King of the Kirisaki Daichi Republic rose to his feet, metal stein raised in celebration. He was an elegant but evil man with abysses for eyes and a devious grin, and when he spoke, the entire arena silenced. “Aomine Daiki of the Once Great Touou Kingdom, you have proven your formidable prowess within our glorious games. You will be awarded all the luxuries and pleasures that a winner is owed until we call upon you for battle again.”

Rather than replying, Daiki spat upon the ground, a grievous disrespect to any monarch in the Teikou Empire, and a ruthless blow to the back of Daiki’s head knocked him to his knees. After a moment of recovery, he sprung up to attack and managed to slay two guards before they brought the electrical prod to zap him into submission. It failed. Instead, it immobilized him until the next fight, when he would do the same thing to the King, and the guards would be forced to restrain him once more. 

They tossed him into the polished and plush suite of the tournament winner—or Daiki’s quarters, as he had yet to lose in his five years under Hanamiya’s thumb—and Daiki simply rested upon the floor, face focused upon the ceiling in bitter countenance. 

“They never learn,” Daiki grumbled, groaning as he stretched. He’d get them next time for sure and escape the hell that was his life. 

An amused and familiar face appeared before him, staring down at him with fond exasperation. “ _You_ never learn,” Tetsu said in that toneless voice of his, but Daiki could tell he was laughing at him. 

“Shut up. I don’t see you out there fighting, huh? Not all of us are allowed the lap of luxury of _His Majesty’s_ favor.” 

Tetsu’s face did that thing where a line formed between his eyebrows and his eyes grew dark and sad. Daiki immediately wanted to stick his foot in his mouth. “Shit,” he muttered, wincing when he scrubbed his face with his hands. “Tetsu, look, you know I didn’t—”

“You’re hurt,” Tetsu interjected, pointedly glaring at the wound on Daiki’s arm as if it personally offended him. He reached a hand down to Daiki, fingers curling in encouragement. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Daiki’s heart still ached for causing that expression upon Tetsu’s beautiful face, but Tetsu seemed to have forgotten it, humming about the royal-level bath. He filled the tub with warm water and sought out plates of fresh fruit and cheese and meat, plus some wine to help Daiki recover from the brutal battles of the last few days.

Relaxing upon a chair in the bathroom, Daiki knew he shouldn’t let Tetsu do all this for him, but now that the adrenaline drained from his system, he could hardly raise his head. And Tetsu didn’t seem to mind. He stripped Daiki of his filthy uniform, his cool hands skimming across Daiki’s sweaty legs and arms and torso, fingertips tingling upon Daiki’s skin. He then heaved Daiki up—how did that tiny body have so much strength?—and helped Daiki into the marble tub before kneeling next to it. 

He first wiped away the excess blood from Daiki’s arm wound and then cupped some water spread across his sculpted bicep. After dabbing the wound with a fresh towel, he wrapped a tight bandage about it before positioning himself behind Daiki. His short fingers stroked through Daiki’s short locks, first washing the sand and sweat from the scalp. Then he worked down to Daiki’s shoulders, kneading the wire-strung tension from his taut shoulders. Daiki’s head lolled back, cradled in the secure hold of Tetsu’s arms, and he smiled up deliriously. 

“You spoil me.”

Tetsu let out a short, indulgent laugh. “You were spoiled before we met.”

“I don’t know if a personal guard to the Touou monarch was a spoiled position, Tetsu.”

“Privileged, at least.” 

“Hm.”

But he failed in his position when the Kirisaki Daichi Republic invaded Touou and attacked its reigning king, Imayoshi Shoichi, a rising tyrant who had promised to make Touou one of the strongest kingdoms in the empire. Daiki believed in Imayoshi — “Shoi,” he called him in private—and stood by his side, helping to train their army and stopping any threats and attackers from harming their king. 

Daiki couldn’t stop Kirisaki Daichi, though, when their stronger forces charged through their smaller kingdom’s gates, burned their villages, slaughtered their life stock, poisoned their resources, enslaved their people, and eventually, beheaded their king in some of the most violent days the Teikou Empire had ever endured. 

And the Teikou Emperor, Akashi Seijuro, did nothing, the bastard. Instead, he allowed Kirisaki Daichi’s madness and didn’t even punish the attackers for pillaging a sovereign kingdom. 

Of course, Daiki held a majority of his rage for himself. As Shoichi’s personal guard and the head of his military unit, he should have been killed before his king—and for his king—but instead, Hanamiya’s forces attacked him first, bringing him to his knees and restraining his arms behind his back. When Hanamiya arrived, he decreed they’d use all Daiki’s skills for entertainment. 

_Entertainment._

Daiki didn’t particularly like killing, but he understood the necessity of it, especially to protect his own people. But putting him in a theatre and having people cheer as he sliced down another poor sap who had been impressed—what was wrong with the Kirisaki Daichi people? How was this “sport”?

Tetsu pressed a gentle kiss to his wet forehead, like he could hear the troublesome thoughts bouncing about Daiki’s usually empty noggin, and then settled next to the tub, so he could face Daiki. He offered him a sip of wine and then a bite of cheese, his elegant and beautiful features marred by sympathy and affection. 

Daiki’s hand lifted by itself, fingertips ghosting over Tetsu’s jaw and up his cheek. The faint blush that spread across Tetsu’s cheeks begged to be kissed, and so he pulled Tetsu close for a lazy but thorough embrace that left Daiki out the breath quicker than any match. 

When they pulled away, Daiki asked, “Why are you here, Tetsu?”

That once adorable blush deepened but for a different reason. Daiki was a gladiator, given privileges like good meals, new clothes, and living quarters worthy of royalty. He even was allowed freedom about the compound and the nearby village; he just couldn’t leave the first keep wall. 

But Tetsu was a slave.

Slaves were kept in barracks, giving third-hand clothes and terrible food. They were whipped and beaten and used—except Tetsu. Tetsu wore a loose blue tunic, clasped by a white vest and tucked into black britches, sowed by the king’s own tailor. Daiki would call Tetsu the king’s personal concubine, but Tetsu never joined Hanamiya in the royalty box of the arena like the king’s other bitches. He never stayed in Hanamiya’s quarters unless beckoned and instead, lived in Daiki’s. He attended royal dinners, kneeling behind Hanamiya like his queen would, and he never, ever bowed to Hanamiya. 

And Hanamiya allowed it, which was even more troubling. 

Tetsu leaned into Daiki’s cradling hand, a question of sorts, and Daiki obliged with a kiss to Tetsu’s free cheek. “Join me.”

The slave wasted no time unzipping his vest and pulling off his tunic, revealing a blue and white tattoo of the Teikou Royal Crest upon his shoulder. It wasn’t uncommon for royals to mark their slaves, though usually with a different symbol their own families’ crest, but why wouldn’t Hanamiya scratch out the marking to place his own upon his slave? Why would he allow Tetsu to keep the crest of his original master upon his skin?

All his questions died when Tetsu straddled his waist and settled his cheek against his chest, head just above the water. Daiki found himself relaxing completely now with his lover’s skin warm against his own, and he tipped his head back against the rest, closing his eyes and dozing in a blissful slumber. 

“Allow me to formally apologize to you, Daiki-san.” 

Daiki lifted up his head slightly, one eye cracked open. “Wha-huh?”

Tetsu huddled closer to his neck, warm breath rolling over Daiki’s chest and sending delicious shivers down his spine. “There is a secret in Teikou only a handful of personal guards, high advisors, and even royals know.”

“Hmm?” If Tetsu wanted it to be storytime, then so be it. 

“The Emperor of Teikou is a twin.”

All right. So what? Who cares if the emperor has a little brother or sister? And what did that have to do with him? With Hanamiya and Kirisaki Daichi?

“The emperor’s little brother has a weak presence and is generally overlooked, though not by his closet friends and advisors. The emperor himself cherishes his little brother as the only family he has left, and would do anything for him—even refuse to intervene when a power-craving kingdom invades its neighbor.”

“Huh?” 

Tetsu’s arms tightened about Daiki’s torso; his hair dusted Daiki’s chin. “Daiki-san, my brother refused to intercede in Touou because Hanamiya had me.”

And why would the Emperor of Teikou care about Tetsu—slave to the Kirisaki Daichi King? 

Wait. Did Tetsu say _our_ parents? Then that meant—Daik’s eyes shot wide, and he sat up in his tub, bringing the naked Tetsu with him. Snatching Tetsu’s shoulders, he shook the smaller man. “You are a fucking prince of the Imperial Royal Family!”

Tetsu blinked. “I believe I made that fairly obvious.”

Daiki stared, dumbfounded for at least a minute before he collapsed back in the tub, wishing he’d smacked his head hard enough to kill him. He’d been fucking a prince of Teikou for three years—and it was because of Tetsu that the Emperor of Teikou had not saved Touou. 

Before Daiki could go crazy with rage, a startling realization pierced his gut. Tetsu had been a prisoner of war for at least five years—if not more, held here in order to control his brother, the strongest emperor in modern times—and apparently, also the weakest one. 

Daiki thought he was going to be sick. 

“It’s all right,” Tetsu whispered, hands cradling Daiki’s clammy cheeks in between both his hands before he pressed his forehead against Daiki’s. “Compared to what your people went through, I have suffered very little. My best friend and personal guard was killed when Hanamiya attacked us, but you lost your entire country.”

“Yeah, but you kinda did, too, y’know?” Daiki squeezed his hands in his own. “What about your brother?”

“I receive letters from him daily, and he visits a few times a year. He was here just a few months ago. Remember? He watched your battle.”

Daiki gulped. Now that exchange all those weeks ago made sense. He’d just finished toweling off and was dressing for the tournament when he blinked. Glancing over his shoulder, he was caught off by a red-headed person draped with light blue and white occupying a chair in the corner of his chambers. They spoke little, the man actually bowing to Daiki and thanking him for his service to the crown. He would, of course, be compensated, and eventually, the Touou people would be freed and their kingdom rebuilt. Daiki just needed to be patient awhile longer.

“Touou is dead,” he’d spat. And he’d meant it. 

But the man shook his head. “The king, yes, for which I will be eternally remorseful, but your kingdom is not. Prove that today, Aomine Daiki of Touou. Do not fight for pride or freedom. Fight for your kingdom.”

Daiki fought for none of that, though. He simply fought to return to Tetsu’s arms, and only now he learned how close he’d been to losing the only thing that made this hell sufferable. 

The anger came to hide the terror. “If your brother comes all the friggin’ time, then why didn’t you just go with him? Hell, even with your weak presence, you could probably slip past the guards without anyone seeing you.”

Tetsu looked embarrassed and ashamed, averting his eyes, but Daiki brought them back with a gentle finger to Tetsu’s chin. Tears glistened in his eyes. 

“I am…marked, enchanted. Every time I leave Kirisaki Daichi, our life force is drained—mine and my brother’s,” he admitted. “It is why His Majesty does not restrain me. There is no need. I won’t leave because my brother will die, and my brother does not raise a hand to Kirisaki Daichi because His Majesty will kill me.”

“So you…and the King…you’re not…” Daiki hated to think it, let alone say it, and Tetsu caressed his cheek. 

“He is not as…malicious when we are alone. He’s actually quite pleasant and accommodating.”

Daiki’s hands rested comfortably upon Tetsu’s hips, fingers dimpling the plush skin. “Oh, God, Tetsu—that’s just…” His eyes fell to Tetsu’s crest. “Is that the mark?”

Red-faced, Tetsu shook his head.

Daiki’s eyebrows knotted. “I’ve never seen another taint upon you. Where is it?”

Tetsu leaned forward suddenly, pressing his lips against Daiki’s in a fierce embrace, and Daiki thought if Tetsu wanted to distract him with intense and feverish sex, then he’d go along with it tonight. Sure. Why not? 

And Tetsu was demanding, hands working Daiki to agonizing hardness even in the cooling water, and then he even prepared himself with quick, scissoring fingers—that was hot—before he impaled himself. Daiki arched his own back, slamming into Tetsu to the hilt, but Tetsu refused to wrap himself around Daiki like usual, burying his fingers in Daiki’s damp hair and exhaling hot breath across his ear. Instead, Tetsu held onto the sides of the tub, even as he rode Daiki with long, filling thrusts, and he called, brokenly, “ _Daiki…Daiki…look…_ ”

Tetsu’s chest glowed with a beautiful mix of light blue and green, swirling upon his skin in an elaborate but elegant design—the Crest of the Kirisaki Daichi Royalty. 

That fucker! He marked Tetsuya in his most intimate place—his very soul. 

Tetsuya collapsed upon Daiki, wrapping his arms about his lover’s chest and reaffirming his wild desire with a steamy embrace. Daiki continued his tireless rhythm, pounding into Tetsu with such a fervor that he could impress such a mark on Tetsu’s soul, too.

He knew Tetsu had made a mark on his. 

Tetsu came with a strangled cry, and then Daiki followed after. He sometimes marked Tetsu with a bite on his shoulder or his neck, but this time, he just cradled Tetsu in his arms and pressed a gentle kiss to his lover’s crownless head. 

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he asked Tetsu once they laid upon his bed, kissing the younger man’s exposed shoulder and wrapping his arms about the slender waist. 

“It’s my fault your kingdom was sacrificed by the Teikou Empire.”

“You’re not the one who attacked it, Tetsu. You’re a victim, too. And give me a little credit, huh? Did you really think I’d hate you for it?”

Tetsu sighed and shifted until he buried his face in Daiki’s chest. “Despite all of His Majesty’s hospitality, it is difficult here, but you have made it bearable,” he murmured into the night. “I could not imagine my life without you, which is why you must never lose, Daiki. I wouldn’t survive without you.”

And Daiki couldn’t survive without him, which was why every time Daiki entered the arena, he didn’t fight for Touou or freedom or pride. 

He fought for Tetsu. 

_The End_


End file.
